A gas turbine engine generally includes a fan and a core arranged in flow communication with one another. Additionally, the core of the gas turbine engine general includes, in serial flow order, a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section. In operation, air is provided from the fan to an inlet of the compressor section where one or more axial compressors progressively compress the air until it reaches the combustion section. Fuel is mixed with the compressed air and burned within the combustion section to provide combustion gases. The combustion gases are routed from the combustion section to the turbine section. The flow of combustion gases through the turbine section drives the turbine section and is then routed through the exhaust section, e.g., to atmosphere.
More commonly, non-traditional high temperature materials, such as composite materials including ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials, are being used for various components within gas turbine engines. For example, because CMC materials can withstand relatively extreme temperatures, there is particular interest in replacing components within the flow path of the combustion gases with CMC materials. However, typical methods of constructing components from plies of a material, such as plies of a CMC material, often result in components having local variations in thickness and/or unsmooth surfaces. Components that have a non-uniform thickness can negatively impact tolerances such that the components do not line up with or are difficult to line up with one or more interfacing components. Additionally, components with non-uniform thickness within the component present manufacturing difficulties. For example, local variations in component thickness can result in inconsistent machining of holes or apertures in the component.
Accordingly, a method for forming a component that reduces or eliminates variations in component thickness would be desirable. In particular, a method for forming an axisymmetric component that reduces or eliminates variations in component thickness while providing a component having hoop strength would be advantageous. Axisymmetric components having a substantially uniform thickness throughout the component also would be useful.